Love and War
by 05xRi-chanx27
Summary: When a case takes an unexpected and difficult turn, it digs into the emotional life of Ryo and she is faced with the feelings she harbors for Dee.


Yes, you heard.. saw right, **FEM!**RYO. Long story short, after a lot of searching thanks to extreme curiosity, I realized there are absolutely NO Fem!Ryo fanfics, then I got even more curious- what a Fem!Ryo fanfic would be like and decided, "I accept this challenge!" And so this was born.

So let's see.

IMPORTANT-ISH NOTES

This is a quick look at Ryo's appearance.

-Obviously dark-blonde hair that stops to her chest, the dark eyes of course, great figure and let's say a size C-not too big, not small–for definition. Hair bangs stopping two inches below her eyes.-

Hope you have fun!

DISCLAIMER! I DO NOT OWN FAKE! THANK SANAMI MATOH FOR IT! ;)

* * *

An african-american, middle-aged woman knocks on the front door of a faded yellow bungalow.

"Emma?" She knocks again. "Hello?" And again. Thinking no one was home, she turned, ready to leave, until a smell wafted to her and from there curiosity struck.

Her mind wondered to the doorknob and decided to try it. She encircled her hand on the knob and turned, the door opening slightly.

Pushing the door in slowly, the woman called out. "Emma? Are you home? David?" She walked in.

As she moved further into the house, the smell kicked in stronger, causing her to gag at the stench. "Umm, Emma? I wanted to borrow some detergent." She called out.

She scanned the house. Empty. Quiet.

She sniffed the scent again and vigorously rubbed her nose from the irritation of it. Following it, she was lead to a hall and a bedroom located at the end of it. The main bedroom.

She neared it.

The stench, the ferocity of it, growing.

It choking her.

Her heart suddenly in a panic as an eerie silence accompanied her.

Clasping the knob, she held it, ever so slowly twisting.

A 'click' was heard.

She pushed in the door.

Her hand flew to her mouth, quivering.

"Oh my God..."

"Oh come on. What do you have to lose?" A black-haired man asked, following a dark-haired blonde into an office.

"Morality. Dee, I've told you multiple times, I don't date co-workers." She stressed, resting a bulky file on her desk that joined face-to-face with another before flopping down onto her chair.

"But you have no problem with make-out sessions." He said sitting at his desk in front of her.

"That-!"

"'That' what?" Dee interrupted, a smug look on his face. "Well, Ryo?"

"'That's not the point here." She opened the file and scanned through the first page. "Plus that doesn't mean anything much since you're the one who's always starting it." She said and lifted the page to get to the second considering it had been bind by the top.

"Hey you started one or two before AND you never pulled away. If I remember perfectly, and I'm sure I do, you popped Rose the time he kissed you." That smugness growing on Dee.

Ryo looked up from the report with a wondering expression on as she looked at the other, thinking on a response to that.

She sighed. "Let's just finish up these. And you should be doing most of the work taking into account it was your fault that we have to review a case we did half a year ago." She shot.

"Well that lawyer just seemed annoying. How was I supposed to know he was playing me? And don't try to change the subject." He said and propped his feet on his desk, leaning back into his chair.

As Ryo was about to say something, she was interrupted by the opening of their office door.

"Maclane, Laytner!" The commissioner, Berkley Rose, a tall blonde man with eyeglasses called as he sauntered into the room.

"Sir?" Ryo asked, actually happy about the intrusion.

"You guys are up," He said dropping a sticky note paper onto Dee's desk and pushing his feet off. "The address." He said pointing to the note. "The rest of the guys will meet you there a little later, when they get in from buying breakfast."

"We're working with everyone on this?" Ryo asked.

"Technically, everyone will be working with you. This is basing you all on how well you are concerning group work." He replied. "Good luck." He said to Ryo with a smile then turned to Dee, his smile dropping immediately. "Hop to it." And exited.

"Gee, bipolar much?" Dee said standing up.

Ryo rolled her eyes.

A yellow bungalow separated from its neighbours by yellow tape caught great attention from the pedestrians passing, officers guarding around to ensure no one unauthorized gets in.

Walking closer, Ryo and Dee pulled out their badge, showing them to the officers once a few feet from them and ducking below the line as the officers held it up for them, them never needing to stop.

Walking into the house, there were a few officers inspecting around, one addressing them formally and giving  
information on the whereabouts of the crime scene.

Dee and Ryo gave their thanks and headed to the main bedroom. Upon entering they were greeted by the sight of a woman handcuffed by her right wrist to the left side of a king-sized bed post on the floor, her skin a little yellowish. Dry blood dribbled from her mouth and her naked body covered with a white blanket.

Officers were also scouting around in there, one with a camera in hand, taking in the crime scene and anywhere around it that seemed aiding.

Jim Campbell, forensic scientist and medical examiner stooped near the body, checking around her neck, then head- searching for wounds.

"Yo, Jim, whatchya got?" Dee asked as they walked to the scientist.

"Ah, my two favourite detectives. Just your cliché case of rape and murder."

"Cause of death?" Ryo asked.

"Single gunshot to the chest."

"Time?" Dee asked as Ryo stooped in front of Jim's bag that was positioned beside him and pulled out a box of latex gloves, pulling out a pair for both herself and Dee.

"Based on skin deterioration and scab formation on the wound, I'd say two weeks, exact." Ryo stood.

"Who found her?" She asked as she moved to the dresser and opened the draws of it, searching through the clothes, both aiding as there were little officers and it was better checking the deeper parts for a better grasping of the situation.

"Her neighbour." Dee took the bed as it seems it wasn't checked yet. "She's still outside with the officers right now."

"Married?" She asked.

Jim looked at both hands. "No ring. why?"

"Male clothes." She said as she held up men's boxers.

"Festish?" Dee wondered.

"Who would have a fetish for collecting men's clothing?" Ryo asked.

"I'm guessing a blonde woman handcuffed to her bed, dead." Ryo rolled her eyes.

"I'm gonna go with a regular visitor." She said and continued her searching.

"Always with the cliché reasoning. Well, that's why you have me." Dee said. "Anyway, do you know the victim's name?" He asked as he moved the rumpled bedsheets from the mattress, looking around it.

"Emma Keedling, 32." Ryo replied. Both occupants turned to her and saw her looking into a blue wallet. "Six dollars, a few receipts and bank cards. No driver's license." She said as she snooped around the wallet. She put it down, back on the top of the dresser.

"Sounds like the life." Dee commented.

"Ahh.. Found something else here." Jim said holding the victim's, Emma's, head and looking to the back of it. Ryo and Dee turned to him, moving closer. "Blunt force trauma to the back of the head." He turned her head a bit to show the two.

"I'd say it was made from a round, circular yet rigid object and from the bruising, it was made about three hours before her death. My best guess would be the edge of a bat."

"You said the neighbour's still outside right?" Ryo asked.

"Yeah."

"I'll go talk to her." She said to them both and with a nod she stepped out.

Jim called over the officer with a camera and showed the wound to be caught.

"No signs of a struggle." Commented Dee.

"Neither on the body." Jim added as he searched her hands and body. "She was willing?"

"Or didn't have the energy to." He said as he moved to the bedside table on the right side of the bed.

"Poisoned?"

"Possibly..Woah, what do we have here?" He said pulling out two items. A half empty box of condoms and lube. "It's annoying how Ryo's always right."

"It's what makes her a good investigator." Jim replied. "Could you go and get someone to bring the gurney and something to break these cuffs?"

"No prob'."

"Do you know if Ms. Keedling was involved with anyone?" Ryo asked the african-american woman who was standing in front of the house, in the yard, her eyes a little red and watery.

"Yes. Her husband." Ryo looked on a bit confused.

"She's married?" She asked.

The woman nodded. "To David Keedling. They moved here when they got married." Ryo noted her words onto a little notepad she had.

'Maybe the ring was stolen?' She asked herself.

"Do you know where her husband is right now?"

"Umm," The woman sniffed, her voice hoarse. "The last time I saw him was two weeks ago, I think." From the corner of Ryo's eye, she saw Dee walk out of the house and head to Jim's M.E's van. "It looked as though he was going on vacation." She could see Dee talking to someone near the van, one of the officers.

"How so?" She turned her attention back to the woman.

"Well he had a travel bag with him. I was weeding my garden when I saw him left."

"Do you know where he was heading?" Ryo turned as she heard the voice behind her and saw Dee and turned back to the woman as she answered his question.

"No, he seemed as though he was in a hurry so I couldn't." The woman sniffed again. "After a few days passed and Emma hadn't visited me like she always does, everyday, I thought it was weird." The woman's voice got higher, her eyes glistening with the filling tears. "I knew I should've checked up on her but I thought if she hadn't visit me, she was probably really busy." She sniffed and took a breath, calming herself. "Though her van hadn't moved since from her backyard."

"She can drive?" Ryo asked.

"Yes. She gave me rides to the grocery whenever she goes."

"More importantly," Dee interrupted. "She parks her van in the back?" He asked, a look that says what was said was crazy. Ryo looked at Dee with an 'Are you serious?' expression which he caught. "Well there's a practical garage right on the side of the house!"

"Actually, she never felt comfortable parking her van in there, so she always puts it in the back."

"Oh, so she was on the loony side."

"Hey!" Ryo whispered and hit the back of her hand on his chest.

"She was just really cautious." The woman defended.

"I'm sorry and I'm sure she was. It's always good to be." Ryo said.

"Yeah but to a certain extent." Dee mumbled. Ryo glared at him.

"She was great person. Always looking out for the people around her. It's always thanks to her helping me all the time that I'm breathing." Her mouth began to quiver. "And now she's dead." She shot her hand up to her mouth as tears began streaking down her face. "I just.. I can't believe she's gone. And in such a way too... Oh god.." She cried. "Please.. Please find out who did this.."

"We will do our best. I promise." Ryo soothed. "Thank you for your help, Ms. Conter." She said and motioned for an officer to come over. "If anything comes up or you remember something, please, give me a call." She said and handed the now sniffling woman, already starting to calm down, her card with her name, profession and number on it.

The woman nodded and allowed to be escorted by the officer to her house.

"This vacation guy sounds like a promising suspect if you ask me." Dee said as they turned back to the house.

"And surprising too." Ryo put the little notepad in her back pocket. "Turns out, it's actually Mrs. Keedling."

"She's married?" He asked as they walked back into the house.

"Yup. David Keedling." She remembered. "The vacation suspect."

"So we find this Keedling guy," Dee started.

"And we may find our killer." Ryo continued.

"Still don't know about that neighbour though. Seeing a man hurriedly leave his house and not being in contact with someone who comes to you everyday, not even checking up on them sounds pretty fishy to me." He looked around the house as they walked back into the room. "At least one picture would be.. homey." He mumbled.

"She's the one who found her and I'm sure she didn't want to oppose unless necessary. It's how she found the body, needing something. And some people have their different ideas of 'homey'. They probably don't like pictures."

"And they're not wei-"

"Emma?!" A voice called out, interrupting Dee and catching both their attention. "Emma, are you in there?! Emma?!"

"Sir, you can't enter!"

"Is she in there?! Are you there?! Emma?!" The two confusedly glanced to each other and turned, heading back out to see what the commotion was. "Emma?!"

Walking out, they were met with the scene of a black-haired man pushing to pass the tape as two officers tried to hold him back.

"What is going on here?" Ryo asked.

"He wants to go in, ma'am." One of the cops said.

"Tell me she's okay! Just let me see her! Let me go! Let me see my wife!" He struggled.

"Woah, woah." Dee spoke up as both he and Ryo walked to the man. "Calm down a sec. You're her husband?"

"Yes, yes! Now please, can I see her? Is she okay? Is she inside? What's going on?!"

"Calm down!" Dee shouted."We're gonna need you to come-"

"What.. Who.." The man calmed down, looking behind the two detectives. Looking in his line of sight, they saw Jim behind the officer pushing a gurney holding a filled body bag. "Oh, please tell she's not in that thing." He asked, his eyes watering. "Please tell me my wife is okay.."

Ryo and Dee looked to each other. "I'm sorry." Ryo said. The man's hands clasping around his eyes as heavy restrained breaths sounded out, obviously trying to hold back himself.

"This can't be true.. This can't be real.." Ryo turned back to Dee with a confused look on her face and found Dee with the same expression.

"Can.." The man breathed. "Can I.. S-see her before.. you.." He asked.

They looked and saw the officer about to get the gurney inside the van. Dee looked to Ryo.

Ryo let out a small sigh and nodded her head to the gurney as to say 'Go ahead'.

Dee escorted the man to the body bag, talked to Jim a bit and stood near as Jim unzipped the top of the bag.

Ryo watched as the man went frigid as he saw the dead face of his wife and immediately clasped onto her, holding her.

Turning her attention a bit to the side she saw Dee almost next to her.

"What are you thinking?" He asked.

Ryo sighed and looked at the man clinging to his wife. "We may need a new suspect."


End file.
